Video: French-bashing made easy
posted at 10:28 am on July 26, 2007 by Allahpundit
Send to a Friend |
printer-friendly
Via WordWarp, just a little something to cleanse the palate after two hours of Scott Thomas-palooza. One idiot is uneventful; an audience of idiots is a joy forever. My only regret: that he decided against the 50/50, which inevitably would have eliminated the two wrong answers and made me fall off the chair laughing.
http://view.break.com/335023 - Watch more free videos
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: [1] 2 »
wow!
offroadaz on July 26, 2007 at 10:36 AM
Definitely not smarter than a fifth grader….
sweeper on July 26, 2007 at 10:39 AM
Oh that was just priceless. For kicks I asked my 12 y/o daughter. He’s not smarter than a 5th grader either. lol
Kowboy on July 26, 2007 at 10:40 AM
well I suddenly feel vindicated after decades of Europeans calling us Stupid Americans. My palate is cleansed
Keli on July 26, 2007 at 10:43 AM
That is just absurd…
Was the chick his wife? I’d get a divorce based on irrevocable stupidity.
Babs on July 26, 2007 at 10:49 AM
If I recall my astronomy survey courses correctly, the moon actually revolves around the Earth, and rotates around its own axis (at exactly the same rate as it revolves, which is why the same side always faces us).
Probably the error is in the translation, though, as I’d suspect the French term gravite implies something in orbit more explicitly than something merely spinning.
Blacklake on July 26, 2007 at 10:52 AM
I thought the fact the audience chose the sun was even more hilarious.
modnar on July 26, 2007 at 10:54 AM
I’m stunned. I can’t believe that he had to ask the audience, and I can’t believe they didn’t know the answer.
Esthier on July 26, 2007 at 10:55 AM
whats the difference between the french and a bag of rocks? The bag of rocks doesn’t spit on you after you save its butt.
Locrian on July 26, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Lost in translation or not, the guy’s still a poster child for fine liberal education.
Kowboy on July 26, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Yeah, but even she said “I think.”
Esthier on July 26, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Copernicus was French?
MadisonConservative on July 26, 2007 at 10:57 AM
This has got to be a spoof… it’s just too absurd. Maybe it’s some French comedy show that’s making fun of Americans?
dave_lantos on July 26, 2007 at 10:58 AM
I believe that in his “frenchy Frenchman” way of thinking he was right.
The sun does revolve around the earth…the stars are only visiable at night over Paris…their wine and food is the best in the world.
These are the people that are constantlly claiming to be more enlighted, intelligent, and far more cultured than anyone else on the planet…(except for AlGore and the so called “Progessives” over here that is).
By the way…I just asked my 7 year old son the same question…his answer…”Boy Dad, that’s such a baby’s question…the moon of course, and it’s 93,000,000 miles away”.
I taught him everything he knows.
Semper Fi
Sgt. Khe Sahn
1GooDDaDDy on July 26, 2007 at 10:58 AM
Whoops, meant Ptolemy. Gah, there goes the joke.
MadisonConservative on July 26, 2007 at 10:59 AM
This reminds me of Will Ferrell’s SNL skits on Jeopardy.
“OK….we have only ONE answer up on the board…..Sean Connery, what do you say”?
Too funny!!!
HarryStar on July 26, 2007 at 11:00 AM
The Borgia Popes have filed an appeal.
Limerick on July 26, 2007 at 11:02 AM
What was that headline in Britain after the 2004 election, something to the effect that how could 60 million people be so stupid to vote for Dubya? Methinks the Euroweenies should look a little closer to home for stupidity because there is obviously lots of it over there.
oilbertan on July 26, 2007 at 11:02 AM
That would be the sun Sergeant, but I still give your sun credit. He did get that distance correct too.
Semper Fi (From a former Squid) :-)
Kowboy on July 26, 2007 at 11:03 AM
Your son, excuse me
Kowboy on July 26, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Is this the same europeans that americans are told that we need to listen to and gain their respect, since they know so much more than we do.
kathleen on July 26, 2007 at 11:05 AM
I was feeling so great over the Scott Beauchamp affair. Now I see this and I’m back to my usual self. Thanks!
JiangxiDad on July 26, 2007 at 11:07 AM
What’s so amazing about a French audience believing the sun revolves around the Earth?
These are the same dumbfucks who believe(d) their economy will thrive with mandated 36 hour work week, the Maginot line would protect them form the Nazis, that free markets are evil, they are still a legitimate power, that Jerry Lewis is a genius, that Americans are the arrogant ones, that surrender is always the best option , that DeGaulle was a military genius, that Mickey Rourke is a great actor, the Lebel was a decent rifle, that any one gives a shit what they think (of course on this point they were misled by John Kerry).
The list of French grand delusions could continue ad infinitum, but I have things to do.
Alamo on July 26, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the prussian empire in what is now poland he was educated in Krakow.
It is a constant source of amazement to me, how freaking uneducated the majority of the worlds population is. I think this may account for democrats and tyrants getting elected.
This includes people with degrees ala Ward (the turd) Churchill.
TheSitRep on July 26, 2007 at 11:14 AM
I hope this guy doesn’t take any cruises, since La Terre is plat, he’s likely to tomber off the edge.
eeyore on July 26, 2007 at 11:16 AM
No, thanks. After your post about the French Will Never Forget organization, I swore off French bashing.
Blake on July 26, 2007 at 11:17 AM
Wow. That’s sad - I’m going to be extremely generous, and assuming it’s not a joke, attribute to that inability to think due to stage fright.
Spirit of 1776 on July 26, 2007 at 11:19 AM
of 56% of the audience?
Esthier on July 26, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Roman Egyptian.
amerpundit on July 26, 2007 at 11:21 AM
The clip was quite funny, but the comments have me rolling. Thanks
doginblack on July 26, 2007 at 11:21 AM
Oh-Em-Gee…
Viewtifulgare on July 26, 2007 at 11:21 AM
C’mon people, it was a trick question. They’re French! Everyone knows the universe revolves around them.
Oldnuke on July 26, 2007 at 11:25 AM
Well you know about the french and so much brain fluid it displaces the brain . . .
- The Cat
MirCat on July 26, 2007 at 11:28 AM
What revolves around France?…Tout (everything)!!
So he is correct.
right2bright on July 26, 2007 at 11:28 AM
FIFTY SIX PERCENT?????? 56%
56%…….. WOW.
Galileo RETIRED and went to …. France.
Nearly 400 years ago, in like 1630.
shooter on July 26, 2007 at 11:30 AM
Question that won’t appear on France’s version of “Who Wants to be a Milllionare ……
How do you tell when France is ready to surrender?
A. Increase in sales of white flags on EBay
B. A war begins
C. The sun comes up
D. The Germans threaten to call them names
fogw on July 26, 2007 at 11:30 AM
I’m confused, were you talking about the French or liberals? Lots of similarities there.
Oldnuke on July 26, 2007 at 11:36 AM
After watching the clip of that genius, I can face the day with a refreshed sense of superiority and self confidence. Thanks AP
Mallard T. Drake on July 26, 2007 at 11:38 AM
DUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Dats gubmint edjumacation fer ya. ROFLMFAO
NeverSubmit on July 26, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Good point. 56% of our game show audiences think Rosie is a fount of wisdom though.
Spirit of 1776 on July 26, 2007 at 11:42 AM
The version I heard:
AFP has reported that the French gov’t has raised its terror alert from “run” to “hide”. The only two higher levels in France are “surrender” and “collaborate.” The raise was precipitated by a recent fire which destroyed France’s white flag factory, thereby disabling the military.
JiangxiDad on July 26, 2007 at 11:42 AM
What’s even more funny is the face of desperation mixed with healthy doses of embarrassment by the host and the guys wife.
Unbelievable.
madne0 on July 26, 2007 at 11:46 AM
This guy suffers from ATB (Ain’t too bright)
BTW, I’ll selling some French military rifles on eBay. Never been fired and only dropped once!
RMCS_USN on July 26, 2007 at 11:47 AM
And elsewhere in the news,
“Tiny Brain No Problem for French Tax Official”.
I can’t do this, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
oldleprechaun on July 26, 2007 at 11:53 AM
I wonder how many Frenchies can’t find France on the map of the world.
This is actually terrifying. A grown man on TV confesses he is brain-dead stupid.
thejackal on July 26, 2007 at 11:57 AM
A Gallup poll from 1999 has 18% of Americans responding that the Earth revolves around the Sun: http://net127.com/1999/07/06/poll-sun-revolves-around-the-earth/. Apparently this is consistent with other countries and other studies of Americans over the past 20 years. Who are these people?
tneloms on July 26, 2007 at 11:58 AM
Oh… the agony of decisions…
Oh… the uncertainty of a 50/50 choice….
Oh… the utter stupidity of the audience and the bozo…
And guess what, the ignoramus STILL won 1500 Euros.
Wonder what the questions were that he got right…..
Always Right on July 26, 2007 at 11:59 AM
Actually, in French thinking nothing revolves around the earth - the universe, including France and Earth, revolves around Paris. I’ve never seen a road sign in France which listed distances to any city without including the distance/direction to Paris.
peski on July 26, 2007 at 12:11 PM
For sale on EBay:
1 WWII French Army Rifle, never fired, only dropped once.
peski on July 26, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Were they on the 3rd question?
He walked away with about $300 US dollars.
nottakingsides on July 26, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Even my 6 year old knows that the moon revolves around the Earth and that the Earth revolves around the sun. He also knows that the Earth’s moon isn’t the only moon in the solar system.
I agree with other posters - who are these people???? Chalk this one up to those fancy liberal educations…
pullingmyhairout on July 26, 2007 at 12:13 PM
What do you expect from a country where you don’t have to work for anything and you are “entitled” to everything? What’s the benefit of learning and working for a better future when the government will just take it all away with high taxes?
Spacen on July 26, 2007 at 12:18 PM
Time for an old Texism…Dumber than a stump!
conservnut on July 26, 2007 at 12:19 PM
What? No Monty Python posts to go with this?
Guardian on July 26, 2007 at 12:25 PM
That would be:
What’s Dimmer Than A Light Bulb:
A:Box of Hair B:Box of Grasshoppers
C:Box of Rocks C:A Frenchman
The only reason he got it right was because when he looked up towards his wife, he saw his image in the monitor.
SuperManGreenLantern on July 26, 2007 at 12:25 PM
Hey, over 40% of the audience got the answer right. Just put a positive spin on it. Much better than Congress’s approval rating.
Snidely Whiplash on July 26, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Le Jackass.
C’est vrainment trop la merde.
(Can’t you dub a little Claire de Lune in the backround for fun?)
profitsbeard on July 26, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Sorry, vraiment trop la merde…
(Wouldn’t want to confuse the French.)
profitsbeard on July 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Wrong. He walked away with about $2,000 US dollars. Today’s exchange rate is 1.38 Euro to a dollar. Or, $1 will buy you 0.72 Euro.
BacaDog on July 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM
Thanks, AllahP. I needed a little blog sorbet.
KelliD on July 26, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Sacrebleu!
The french should stay in the kitchen.
Swinehound on July 26, 2007 at 1:02 PM
ROFL - made my day!
What scares me is that the NEA looks upon the French Education System with envy.
Wuptdo on July 26, 2007 at 1:09 PM
Haven’t these people heard of Galileo? Sheesh.
aengus on July 26, 2007 at 1:10 PM
DeGaulle was a military genius! The Nazis stole his ideas and conquered most of Europe and Africa.
aengus on July 26, 2007 at 1:13 PM
We saw the Sun moving with our own eyes and felt the Earth steady under our feet, and then, without any persuasive observations of our own, we were made to believe that the Earth revolves around the Sun. We heard only a recital of what everyone knows and a story about the man who first revealed the truth. If we had also gained experience of the Earth’s orbit around the sun at the time, we might have had a valuable first experience of the improvement that careful observations may make on casual observations. Without supporting observations, though, we were trained to believe what we’re told by men we trust, even if we feel it to be entirely at variance with what our eyes see and our feet feel. It was one of many lessons in intellectual submission.
Kralizec on July 26, 2007 at 1:13 PM
Wow. Just … wow.
Wow.
Not French bashing. Just stupid bashing.
How is this possible in the 21st century?
Well, at least that explains the Jerry Lewis thing.
Oops. That was French bashing.
Professor Blather on July 26, 2007 at 1:27 PM
They’ve finally won me over. I need to give up my religion-based belief system for their more sophisicated “science”-based belief system. I really have been a knuckle-dragger all these years.
jaime on July 26, 2007 at 1:40 PM
Mikolaj Kopernik (a.k.a. Nicholas Copernicus, for those of you who aren’t Polish) won’t be pleased, but Akhenaten certainly will.
Bigfoot on July 26, 2007 at 1:48 PM
Talk about an exaggeration. Guderian (the mastermind behind the Blizkrieg) was highly influenced by a non-German tactician, yes, but that man was Liddell Hart of the British army, not De Gaulle. Yes, there are some that claim De Gaulle was also an influence, but IF he was, he was a much smaller one.
madne0 on July 26, 2007 at 2:10 PM
I’m sure that he was just confused by the question.
The only thing he knows is that the world revolves around France.
Blaise on July 26, 2007 at 2:17 PM
No wonder these people are so easily influenced! Science obviously takes a back seat. Explains the uproar regarding global warming. What a joke.
Aggie85 on July 26, 2007 at 2:34 PM
Wait a minute now, he’s just one guy, that doen’t mean that *everybody* in France … what’s that? The studio crowd didn’t know either? Oh. Um. Nevermind!
Last week on “5th Grader” some knucklehead didn’t know what the capitol of the U.K. was. He said “I think it’s England.”
Aarrgghhh!!! I can’t believe it! Thank you N.E.A.!
Then on “Cash Cab” this woman said “Australia’s not a *country*, is it?”
Just shoot me! Shoot me NOW dammit!
Tony737 on July 26, 2007 at 2:36 PM
This goes to show that the only people more ignorant than those who watch daytime television are the ones that actually attend these programs.
repvoter on July 26, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Oh okay. I remember having read that De Gaulle wrote some book and the Nazis read it and implemented it but it could have been just one small aspect of their war effort.
aengus on July 26, 2007 at 2:45 PM
Stoppit! Will y’all just please stop with the French! It’s dangerous for real Americans to try and speak French. Your tongue will get wrapped around your tonsils and you’ll choke to death. Of course if you’ve had your tonsils removed….
Oldnuke on July 26, 2007 at 2:56 PM
I hope he used the 1500 to buy himself a new stupid stick. He wore his out.
tommuck on July 26, 2007 at 3:25 PM
STOP THE INSANITY! Let’s change the name once for all and call them what they are: STUPID FRIES!
Ropera on July 26, 2007 at 3:32 PM
Anybody know what this guy does for a living? My bet - he’s a professor at the Sorbonne. LOL
Ignorant Mensan on July 26, 2007 at 3:40 PM
When this first came out awhile ago, I read that in France the audience tries to screw the contestant on purpose by giving an incorrect answer. (Although there’s still no excuse for the contestant not knowing.)
andycanuck on July 26, 2007 at 3:52 PM
amerpundit on July 26, 2007 at 11:21 AM
Actually he was a Greek, more specifically of Macedonian descent. The Ptolemies inherited Egypt from Alexander the Great.
Penthesileia on July 26, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Please tell me that this guy was never in any of my science courses…
Bob's Kid on July 26, 2007 at 4:17 PM
I somehow missed that post so I looked it up. Now I feel guilty about my comment so I’m gonna be a buzzkill
and say, to be fair, theres at least as much ignorance on American tv
Keli on July 26, 2007 at 4:45 PM
That is incredibly stupid. About as brilliant as the Maginot Line.
congsan on July 26, 2007 at 4:49 PM
That (the distance to the sun) was a million dollar question on the American Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Increase your son’s allowance!
B26354 on July 26, 2007 at 5:04 PM
lmao, this combined with Sarkozy’s brilliant insight into middle-eastern energy requirements makes me absolutely hate myself for living in France.
I am now an official self-hater.
Aylios on July 26, 2007 at 5:09 PM
This may dull the humor of the article, but if I was in the audience I would purposly put down the sun.
Any person who doesn’t know what the answer should be shouldn’t be allowed to win money for not knowing it.
PresidenToor on July 26, 2007 at 5:11 PM
The French can take a simple question and run it into deep discussion. Then they developed this complicated, archaic language to make it sound like whatever they are talking about is lofty. No wonder David Gregory speaks French.
This is a race that thinks the world revolves around France, so of course the sun would have to revolve around earth.
I tried to order dinner at a restaurant in France in French and the waiter said, “Please stop murdering my language, Monsieur”. Non tipeux for vous.
Hening on July 26, 2007 at 5:13 PM
Er, Isn’t that similar to what the French do to us whenever there’s a critical vote in the UN Security Council?
Just sayin’.
fogw on July 26, 2007 at 5:28 PM
To all would-be quiz show contestants:
93,000,000 miles is the distance from the Earth to the Sun;
240,000 miles (approx.) is the distance from the Earth to our Moon.
fred5678 on July 26, 2007 at 5:28 PM
Ok to be generous to the chap, the word ‘gravite’ is somewhat confusing. As far as I’m concerned it means ‘gravitates’ as the french language has a perfectly good word for ‘rotates around’ which is ‘orbite’. So giving him the benefit of the doubt, he may well have been agonising over the meaning of ‘gravitates’ in this particular context and wondering why the question didn’t say ‘orbite’ if that’s what was meant.
It is of course absolutely true that the french will never ever express something clearly and unambiguously when a complicated and ambiguous alternative is available. I can testify to that from years of experience. Oh and they do (very officially) hate free enterprise. I should know as I run a small business here and year after year wonder why I bother.
Aylios on July 26, 2007 at 5:35 PM
Oh, that is rich.
JG2K6 on July 26, 2007 at 5:46 PM
You know, you almost get the feeling that the audience was trying to run the guy afoul for being a complete moron. But then you would have expected them to more evenly distribute their answers…
Seixon on July 26, 2007 at 5:53 PM
God bless you for sharing that.
How come the French can figure out a million ways to surrender but don’t know anything about the heavens. Thank govt. run education.
Now some snarky astronomer will say that the moon is just following an almost circular orbit around the sun, and he’d be right.
Mojave Mark on July 26, 2007 at 6:07 PM
It could have been that Islam influence. In the Koran, Allah wills the sun to rise and set each day — although the sun does sink into a murky pool at the end of the day, which might have confused matters.
Oh, the heck with it. It was a trick question!
Aardvark on July 26, 2007 at 6:56 PM
“…stop murdering my language…”
Hening, you should’ve told the snooty prick “Listen up Pierre, you wouldn’t even HAVE a language if it weren’t for people who spoke MINE!”
Tony737 on July 26, 2007 at 6:57 PM
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones..Ever see our own JackAss videos, the You Tube intellectuals, Code Pink, The Dims, etc.etc.etc.etc.etc.etc.etc. We need our southern French Republicans to help us win this next election. Can’t we find someone else to laugh at, like maybe take a look at one of the One Thousand mexican TV channels being telecast in this country..I don’t care if we lose their votes, can’t lose something you never had..
Legions on July 26, 2007 at 8:48 PM
Comment pages: [1] 2 »